The Director

Reinhold Bilgeri

Reinhold Bilgeri's career began as a musician with various rock bands (Wanted; Clockwork) at the end of the 1960s, and he toured with the warm-up shows for Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Status, Quo, Nazareth, Colosseum, etc. throughout Europe. At the same time, he wrote radio plays, screenplays and cabaret shows (Im Westen nix Neues: ORF) and short stories (Herrn Rudolph's Geranien, Fink's Verlag).

In 1973 he had his breakthrough in the TV show named "Showchance" with "Oho Vorarlberg," along with author Michael Köhlmeier, which became a sensational number 1 hit on the Austrian charts.

In 1974 he won the ORF Film Screenplay Prize for "Gaudemus igitur"

In 1981 he gave up his position as a teacher and began his solo career with the number 1 hit "Video Life" that sold worldwide.

20 hits on the charts followed, making Bilgeri an international Austropop star.

AWARDS

2008 Vorarlberg Literature Prize

2006 Euro Video Grand Prix for Silver Bell

1990 CCA Award for Best Radio Advertisement of the year (Ö1)

1988 Pop Champion Orpheus Award (bestselling record of the year with more than 240,000 sold in Austria alone) Amadeus Award Nomination for "Desperado" (Category: Best Video Producer, Script and Direction)

Collaborative Projects

Worked with international stars, such as Lou Gramm of Foreigner (on his solo album), or the Phoenix Horns of Earth, Wind & Fire. Wrote songs for José Féliciano (Solitary Lady), Adamo, Alvin Lee and the Spotnicks.

FACTS

Over 3 million records sold worldwide

7 Gold and Platinum records

Over 20 top hits, including 5 number 1 hits (the most successful single hits in Austria along with Falco in the 1980s and 1990s)

Several European top hits (in Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Holland, Germany, "Radio Hör'n")

Top hits in South America, i.e. number 1 hit in Brazil and Argentina.

"Still in Love" CD in fall 2003 was in the top 40 in Austria for weeks, while "Silver Bell" (Christmas hit 2002) was in the Dutch top 100.

"Video Life" 2004 was in the top 40 in Austria for 7 weeks (Best 23). One of the few Austrian singers, who has had hits over the past 4 decades.

Produces most of his recordings in the top sound studios in Los Angeles (Record Plant, Conway Studios).

Has written several screenplays ("Elisabeth von Österreich"- together with Michael Köhlmeier; "Die weiße Faust", "The List", "Kein Weg nach Eden") and has done the directing for his own TV shows, movies and video clips.